At the regular meeting of the Richmond Kiwanis Club last Tuesday we had an excellent program given by Michelle Zweirs representing the Ray County Community Action Agency concerning the upcoming “Flash Mob” her agency is organizing to increase awareness of poverty in Ray County.
It will be held April 10 at 5 p.m. on the north side of the courthouse. Groups will start from various points to walk to the square to hear about housing, food issues and other concerns affecting the poor and programs designed to assist them.
During the meeting, new member Ben King was welcomed. It was announced that this week’s meetings (noon and evening meetings Tuesday, March 25) would have the same program – Brad Hogan speaking on the April election issue. Also in April on the 26th, Kiwanis will hold its clean-up day picking up trash along Spartan Drive prior to the Mushroom Festival. It is not only a good service to the community, but it is fun.
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On Thursday, March 20, a group of us went to Benton House near Liberty to take our friend, Alice Neely, out to lunch for her birthday. We were all able to travel in Jane Bartlett’s van and we ate at a lovely restaurant, which of course gave us all too much food necessitating doggie bags for all. Alice is very happy in her retirement apartment and has made many friends. Unfortunately, somewhere along our journey I managed to lose the side of my Miche bag again but this time was unable to find it. (Miche, a Utah business, specializes in hand and shoulder bags based on a system of magnetic interchangeable bag covers and accompanying accessories.)
Alice sends greetings to all her friends here.
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The Masons’ fish fry Friday was excellent as always and again with portions so generous I had to take some home to enjoy later. My former student Allen White also saw to it that there were sweet potato fries as well as deep fried potato chips.
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Saturday, Bonnie McCalley and I had breakfast at the St. John’s CME Church and visited with many friends there. Emma Williams joined us and we had a nice chat. That evening Bonnie and I decided to go to the “Oink and Moo” for one of their delicious sandwiches. We saw Karen Joiner there and were reminiscing about her mother, who was a favorite teacher. She made things lively for the kids even roasting potatoes outside in the coals of a fire giving rise to the nickname, “The Potato Roaster Teacher.”
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Sunday, at the United Christian Presbyterian Church we were privileged to have Rev. Bill Rose-Heim as guest speaker. Using a laptop computer, he illustrated his sermon by displaying slides on the sanctuary wall. His subject was “Be Not Afraid: History of Church Transformation in Five Acts” and it was very enlightening for all of us. The bell choir, JU-Bell-La-Te, also performed a beautiful musical number. After the service, the congregation ate a carry-in dinner with so many dishes that it was hard to choose and Rev. Rose-Heim answered any questions we might’ve had.
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Remember that we are well into the Lenten season and will be having Lenten luncheons. The Knights of Columbus will have fish fries as well March 28, April 4 and April 11 at the Veterans’ Memorial Building from 5 to 7 p.m.
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